Central Mountain Air (9M, Smithers) has inducted its first DHC-8-Q400 into operations, deploying it out of Dease Lake on mining charters in cooperation with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC).
C-GWUG (msn 4479) was delivered to the airline and ferried to Calgary in mid-August 2024. It began test flights in Calgary and Lethbridge on September 14 and was ferried to Dease Lake via Prince George on September 17. It is currently plying this single route, to and from Prince George.
The carrier said the aircraft will primarily be deployed to support Newmont's Red Chris mine through Dease Lake airport. It will also support "existing charter services and facilitate the expansion of the airline's reach to new destinations, further enhancing connectivity across the region." Central Mountain Air said it expected to add more aircraft by the end of 2024, although it did not specify the types.
"We have seen tremendous growth in the last several years. Expanding the fleet to include the DHC-8-Q400 speaks volumes of our dedicated team and our partnerships," said Douglas McCrea, the airline's president.
The Q400 is jointly branded with the TNDC, a First Nation organisation managing multiple business ventures of the Tahltan Nation, including Dease Lake airport.
The Q400 is CMA's largest aircraft to date. It can seat up to 76 passengers in a single-class configuration. The 10-year-old aircraft was previously operated by Nok Air. CMA's fleet also includes twelve Beech 1900Ds, three Do328-100s, four DHC-8-Q300s, two DHC-8-300s, and four DHC-8-100s.
